CMMI Frequently Asked Questions and their responses from CMMI Consultant(s)

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CMMI is the process model implemented at the organizational level. It may not be possible to use CMMI for the evaluation of Product Quality? Is there any standard available for Software Product Quality Certification?

As we all know, that CMMI is the process model that is implemented at the organizational level. The best practices followed while implementing CMMI deliver good quality products and services. Still, if it comes to the key question, can we say that the product is certified for quality according to CMMI model? The answer is no. We can say, with a stretch, that while the CMMI Assessment was being carried out, the A or B product was used as a part of Appraisal Sample and so it was assessed during the CMMI Appraisal. But it is not technically correct to say that the software product is CMMI Certified or software product quality is CMMI Certified. Hence there is a need for a standard which is internationally acceptable and can be used for software product quality certification. One such standard has been published by ISO (International Organization for Standardization). It is ISO ISO/IEC 25010:2011. The title of this Standard is “Systems and software engineering — Systems and software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) — System and software quality”.

This standard describes the software product quality in terms of – quality in use model – and – product quality model.

The first criteria – quality in use model – constitute five characteristics. These characteristics are further sub-divided into sub-characteristics. The idea is to determine the output of product on the basis of five characteristics when it is used in a particular situation or context. The behaviour of product in specific situation and its performance, good or bad, over five characteristics, determine the quality of product in terms of quality in use model.

The second criteria – product quality model – on which this particular model determines the product quality is on the basis of – product quality model. This product quality model criterion has eight characteristics which are further sub-divided into sub-characteristics. With use of these eight characteristics, it is possible to provide clear, consistent and repeatable definitions for evaluation of product quality.

The characteristics defined by both criteria – quality in use and product quality – are applicable for all software products and computer systems. ISO/IEC 25012 also covers data quality.

Functional Properties are excluded from ISO/ IEC 25012 which is understandable keeping in view wide variety of use of software products and computer systems. Functional suitability is definitely covered, and rightly so, because it is ultimately the final acceptance test for any product. ISO/IEC 25012 can be used for procurement (acquisition), requirements analysis, quality assurance and audit of software products and computer systems. It can be in used in conjunction with CMMI-ACQ (CMMI for Acquisition) Model as a support to strengthen the acquisition process of software products and computer systems. The two criteria – quality in use model and product quality model of ISO/IEC 25012 – are not so elaborately defined in CMMI Process Areas. It can be a matter of good debate that CMMI model being in existence for quite some time now, may like to extend itself towards software product quality certification programs.